This invention relates to drainage pipes. More particularly, this invention relates to an accessory for use in construction, to a drainage kit and to a method of construction.
Conventionally, drainage pipes are usually positioned in a substrate to be flush with or to extend partially from the substrate. Once this has been done, a layer of screed is formed on the substrate. A bed of tiles may or may not then be positioned on the screed. It has been found that, during construction, screed material is often disposed of in the drainage pipe. Where tiles are layed on the screed layer, the tiles are broken off at a region about the drainage pipe to provide a location in which a drain grate can be positioned. These pieces of broken tile are often also disposed of in the drainage pipe.
The waste screed and tile pie can cause substantial problems at a later stage. In fact, it is well known in the plumbing trade that initial call backs on new buildings are usually due to blockages resulting from material disposed of in the drainage pipes.
A problem presently facing tilers is the provision of a level mark which the tiler can use to determine the thickness of screed to be placed on the substrate. At present, tilers have a difficultly in achieving a consistently level surface of screed because of the lack of a central mark that they can use as a reference point.
It will be appreciated that it would be desirable for a means to be provided whereby the above issues can be addressed.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an accessory for use in construction, the accessory including
a conduit that has an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion. the outlet end portion being mountable on a drainage pipe so that the conduit and the drainage pipe are in fluid communication with each other; and
a removable closure member which is mounted on the inlet end portion to close the conduit when not in use so that the ingress of detritus into the drainage pipe is inhibited.
The accessory may include a reference level arrangement that is positioned on the conduit and is configured so that when the conduit is mounted on the drainage pipe, the reference level arrangement provides at least a reference level for a thickness of a screed layer to be formed on a substrate.
The conduit may be circular cylindrical. The inlet end portion of the conduit may be of an enlarged diameter. Further, a distance between a shoulder defined at a junction between the inlet end portion and a remaining portion of the conduit and an end of the inlet end portion may be at least substantially equivalent to a desired thickness of a screed layer, so that the inlet end portion defines the reference level arrangement.
The removable closure may be connected to the inlet end portion by a zone of weakness to facilitate separation of the closure from the inlet end portion.
The inlet end portion may have a plurality of openings defined therein to permit drainage of excess water collected about the inlet end portion.
The accessory may include a grate member that is received in the inlet end portion, once the closure has been removed. The grate member may be an assembly of a grate frame and a grate element. The grate frame may define an inwardly extending lip on which the grate element is supported, while the grate element may define a shoulder that bears against the lip of the grate frame.
The accessory may be of a plastics material.
The accessory may include a sealing member having a flange portion and a body portion. The body portion may define a passage in which the conduit is received and the flange portion may be positioned to extend radially from the conduit when the conduit is received in the passage. The conduit and the body portion may be attachable to a drain pipe positioned in a substructure, with the flange portion overlying an upper surface of the substructure.
The sealing member may be of a suitable sealing material such an elastomeric material.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a drainage kit, the kit including
a conduit that has an inlet end and an outlet end;
a removable closure that is mounted on the inlet end of the conduit to close the conduit when not in use; and
a sealing member having a flange portion and a body portion that defines a passage, the conduit being mountable to the body portion so that the outlet end of the conduit and the passage are in fluid communication with each other.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of construction, the method including the steps of
mounting a conduit on a drainage pipe, the conduit having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion so that the conduit and the drainage pipe are in fluid communication with each other, the inlet end portion having a removable closure member to close the conduit when not in use so that the ingress of detritus into the drainage pipe is inhibited;
removing the closure member; and
positioning a grate member in the inlet end portion, once the closure has been removed.